Flipping the Workplace: How Josh Block Turned the "Me Cycle" into a Culture of Thriving

Most corporate journeys follow a predictable script: decades of climbing, chasing titles, and managing up.

When Josh Block took over as President of Block Imaging, the transition was anything but gradual – he went from a regional sales rep on a Friday to leading the entire company on a Monday morning. But while stepping into executive authority overnight was a sudden leap, the true, lasting pivot wasn’t his title change. It was the deliberate decision to flip how the company operated at its core.

Josh looked at the traditional workplace and saw a fundamental flaw: the widespread prevalence of the Me Cycle.

In most organizations, leaders operate out of self-preservation, employees focus on protecting their own turf in return, and work becomes a transactional, exhausting grind. Josh chose to flip that script, proving that when a company actively transitions from Me to We, everything changes—businesses grow, families thrive, and lives are transformed.

Here is how Josh navigated his own developmental journey from sales rep to leader, built a people-first operational model, and distilled thirty years of trench work into his new book, People Matter @ Work.

The Origin: Breaking Out of the “Me Cycle”

Early in his career, Josh ran a labor business in Muncie, Indiana, focused on urban employment. It was there that he first realized work is never just an economic transaction. Steady employment provided stability, identity, and community. It meant kids stayed in the same school year after year because their parents had stable ground under their feet.

When Josh unexpectedly stepped into the presidency at Block Imaging at age 29, he brought that lived empathy directly into the front office.

“In your twenties, there’s a natural propensity to focus on yourself. My journey was about turning that outward: What’s it like to be on the other side of me? What’s it like to create a culture where other people actually thrive?” — Josh Block

Stepping into leadership required breaking free from the self-centered “Me Cycle” and stepping into native empathy—leading from the perspective of the person in the cubicle next to you, rather than hiding behind a new title.

The Core Flip: Engineering the “We Cycle”

Flipping a business to a people-first model isn’t about soft metrics or superficial perks. It requires an intentional operational engine. Josh and his team engineered what he calls the We Cycle, driven by three foundational principles (The 3 Ts):

Together: Moving away from isolated individual targets toward a deeply shared mission where team members take true ownership.
Thoughtful: Making decisions through careful consideration of the needs of others—constantly evaluating the impact of leadership actions on the front lines.
Transparent: Replacing corporate posturing with radical trust, clear feedback, and honest communication.

When leaders lead with these three elements, engagement deepens organically. Employees don’t just show up to trade hours for dollars; they refer their friends and family because they trust the environment.

As the business expanded, Josh realized the real test wasn’t maintaining culture at thirty people—it was equipping middle managers to carry that same native empathy to hundreds of direct reports so no individual slipped through the cracks.

From One Business to Every Business: People Matter @ Work

After fifteen years of guiding Block Imaging through season after season of growth, Josh felt a distinct nudge to look beyond his own enterprise.

Over a six-year process of writing, testing, and refining, he distilled three decades of messy, real-world grit—from flipping burgers and door-to-door sales to executive leadership—into his new book, People Matter @ Work.

Writing the book wasn’t just a retrospective exercise; it was a way to give leaders everywhere a practical framework to flip their own workplace stories.

Work remains one of the most transformative communities in human life. When leaders build places where people thrive, those employees go home better equipped to serve their families and communities. By shifting from Me to We, you don’t just build a better business—you flip the entire trajectory of the lives inside it.

🔄 The Flipped Story Recipe Book

Every episode of The Flipped Story includes another addition to the Flipped Story Recipe book – and Josh shares a phenomenal recipe for leadership!

Learn More & Connect with Josh

Grab a copy of the book at PeopleMatteratWork.com or connect with Josh for coaching and speaking.